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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. stock — shares
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. toast — bread
  5. current — of water
  6. degree — temperature
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. degree — an amount
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. kid — child
  13. degree — from a university
  14. wax — to grow
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. stock — goods
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. kid — to tease
  19. current — happening now
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. current — electric
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com